Catfight!

The video's uber cool :P Final Fantasy (FF) meets Dead or Alive (DoA).

Quite an 'all-star' line-up they have there!

A fold-it-in-your-pocket guide...

Please print and put one in your pocket hor?? And hor, alert the puhlezze immely when u see him orkay???

The best 404 page...EVER

For those bored people out there with a little time on your hands whilst I fix up some "404" issues with the blog posts...here's something for you guys!

*Please enable Javascript!*

http://twist.snowburst.org:4747/404

I personally thought it was cute. HAHA!

Time to get back to work! Arsenal and Man Utd both won 1-0, and I guess this is becoming a 2-horse title race...who will win??

Current Mood: Working

OLPC XO Laptop

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) XO-1 laptop becomes available today for purchase in North America (for "logistical reasons" the program is only being offered in the USA & Canada although there are ways that people from other countries can purchase one too) through the Give 1 Get 1 (G1G1) program. This program lasts for only 2 weeks. For $400 ($200 of which is a tax-deductible donation), a person will be paying for 1 laptop to go to a child in a developing nation and will receive 1 laptop for themself. Although/because/despite (depending on your perspective on how things work in real life!) these laptops are designed for children in the developing world, they include a lot of features that are either not found in other commercial laptops or which cost a lot more (there are a couple of good technical video presentations that cover these features in some detail here and here).



Source: http://bc.tech.coop/blog/071112.html

Buying a laptop, rugged, contributing to charity, and best of all, it's light. Good for travels?? With a linux platform and mainly loaded with free open-source applications, this would definitely be a great tool for those who are looking to stay away from the usual Microsoft-dominance as we know today!

The size of the laptop just measures 242mm × 228mm × 32mm and its weight is about 1.5kg, which handy for those on the road, and need a laptop for browsing the web, and doing simple stuff like checking the mail. The battery power is apparently long-lasting and has multiple ways of recharging it.

Something tells me that it looks like a Mac. Remember the old clamshell G3s??



Well I thought they looked similar. HAHA.

NUS sure is getting interesting

Just checked my mail in the early morning today and I received 2 very interesting emails. 2 new modules in fact. Gosh, why didn't they come up with such modules earlier? But is NUS evolving? Haha....on the surface, they sound interesting, and coupled with the latest S/U policy I would give it a try if I had the chance!

The first is on this new module, CS3216 : Software Development on Evolving Platforms. And this module is a Facebook Programming module.

Yes, you heard it right, FACEBOOK module.

Apparently, the course is open to non-SOC (School of Computing) students and they are required to work in groups to create killer Facebook applications (ok how 'killer' it will be, we ain't sure?). And guess what?? No programming experience as pre-requisite!!!

On top of that, bidding is NOT via CORS, but via the submission of a personal statement. What a module! Now you can be part of the process to bring addiction to facebook to a higher level. How cool.

The School of Computing will be offering a new 4-MC Facebook Programming module on next Semester (AY2007/2008, Semester 2) - CS3216 : Software Development on Evolving Platforms. This is your chance to be a part of this new global Internet phenomenon, currently valued at some US$15 billion.

This new module is not your traditional software engineering course. Enrollment will be open to students of all faculties and students will work in small inter-disciplinary teams to create their killer Facebook applications. Programming experience for non-SoC students is not a pre-requisite (since work will be done in teams).

As it turns out, Trey Phillips , the winner of Facebook F8 Hackathon, is a philosophy major. This suggests that ANYONE without programming background can be a Facebook Developer. The nominal pre-requisite is thus CS1101, but students who do not have formal programming background but who have a keen interest in e-entrepreneurship or a background in design. Students will not be assessed individually, but in groups, so individual programming proficiency will not be assessed. Students need only to be able to contribute substantively to their team projects. The success of social networking applications depend a lot on the concept and execution rather than good programming ability. The students can develop their applications in their language of choice, but will likely use PHP or Ruby with mySQL.

Source: NUS Email

The next email, is rather interesting as well, therefore I'm placing it here also...Apparently there're Theatre Studies modules in NUS (why did I not hear of them?) and they have a production called "The West Wing" coming up. The modules are apparently Play production modules, TS3237 and TS3103.

The West Wing is a TV series drama by NBC, if I'm not wrong, and there's even a movie which was released in 1999.

So the learning in NUS has diversified yet again...let's just see how much more of such 'exploration' modules that they can offer to the students, and although I doubt I can be part of such a change in the system, I believe it is a good thing for students to be exposed to more areas and do modules which they really like doing.

Current Mood: Working

ERP helps more S'poreans to own cars

If paying multi-million dollar salaries to our ministers is a real shock, well you should just read this article which was published in the Straits Times on 22nd October.

ERP helps more S'poreans to own cars: Minister

Responding to a question for written reply in Parliament on Monday, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said this is reflected in the growth of Singapore's car population from 680,000 in 1997 to 800,000 in 2006.

THE use of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) has made it possible for more Singaporeans to own cars.
Responding to a question for written reply in Parliament on Monday, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said this is reflected in the growth of Singapore's car population from 680,000 in 1997 to 800,000 in 2006.

Dr Fatimah Lateef, MP for Marine Parade GRC, had asked the Minister if the ERP scheme has met the objectives that it was meant to achieve and if it has improved the traffic flow on expressways especially during peak hours.

In his reply, Mr Lim said since its implementation in 1998, ERP has been effective in maintaining average travel speeds on priced roads within the optimal speed range through regular reviews and rate adjustments. For example, average speeds on the expressways have remained at above 45km/h during peak hours.

"The use of ERP to manage traffic has made it possible for more Singaporeans to own cars than we otherwise could, and our vehicle population has grown from 680,000 in 1997 to 800,000 in 2006," he added.

"It has also allowed the Government to rely more on car usage charges and less on car ownership taxes to manage traffic demand, and as a result, vehicle ownership taxes have been reduced. "

The Ministers said the government will continue with a holistic and integrated approach using all the tools available to keep the roads smooth-flowing. These include building more roads, regulating vehicle growth, implementing traffic engineering solutions, managing traffic demand through ERP and promoting the use of public transport.

Source: ST

Well, if I'm not mistakened, ERP was a "solution" to alleviate the traffic jams during peak hours, and also to deal with the rapid growth of car ownership in Singapore...yet our Minister here is saying that the ERP helps to promote car ownership? I wonder whether he really knew why the ERP was there in the first place.

Gosh. I can't believe that my million-dollar minister is giving such a remark. And ERP aint helping with the traffic condition either. A case of avoiding the bullet???

Really cant believe how am I supposed to pay such a minister such a high salary. If he truly thinks that ERP can help to increase car ownership, why have COE? After all, COE was meant to reduce car ownership in the first place.

Wrong again.
COE + ERP = MORE MONEY!!!! *woohoo*

I think I can run for the minister post next time liao. So easy. Answer such questions just need to smoke out and it's alright. After all, we've the world-ranked 149th newspaper in the world too. LOL.

And just a parting shot, he's a Transport Minister...and com'on, is he doing his job to deal with the traffic problems DAILY?! No, is the answer.





I'm so disillusioned with our country's leaders at times.

The A380 is finally here!!!

Finally...the A380 is ready for the first commercial flights between Singapore and Syndey, set for Oct 25th, 10 days later.

Very very much anticipated aircraft...shall see the reviews after people fly on its maiden flight. Apparently the first flight is for charity and loads of people shelled out huge money just to be on the plane (and for charity as well la)

Ain't it great to be the first airline in the world to get the superjumbo, but 2 years late? ;)

80 million years without sex?

And here I wonder how many can last just a year without sex. Oops.

Note to all readers: This is a serious topic I'm discussing, not a topic from some bored guy who's doing his readings and just happened to click on "Latest Headlines" on the Firefox links.

From: BBC

"The mystery of how an animal has survived for 80 million years without sex has been solved by UK scientists.

A Cambridge team says the creature owes its existence to a genetic quirk that offers some recompense for prolonged celibacy."

And please read on yea?

Basically...this asexual animal has managed to live for 80 million years without having SEX! Gosh. That's really interesting! I mean, it's like telling a couple not to have sex from marriage to death (o.O)

Ok that might be POSSIBLE but....

Being humans and therefore sexual creatures, sex is the way (or should I say, the ONLY? let's drop the subject of cloning yea?) to reproduce, and over time, allows us to adapt to changes in our environment and thus allowing us to evolve.

And here we see, a creature known as a bdelloid rotifer (a single-celled invertebrate) actually manages to evolve and survive through these 80 million years WITHOUT dying out because of its ability to make two separate proteins from two different copies of a key gene!

And that, my friends, is an interesting discovery for us. :)

Hunger...

I'm so hungry...I can eat my Windoze anytime.

-rawr-

Barely made it through 2 days with severe headache/heavy head...had to lay on the bed to rest and sleep for many many hours. Probably the result of late nights? Hmm...I wonder...

Revision's been pretty bad. Switching on and off periodically, like a sine wave. Why? This is getting bad...4 days to go...

Was at e2 labs with Enping and Yihui today. Tried doing up my 2108 revision/play with Matlab, but in the end I spent most of the time trying to figure out the different commands. Feeling pathetic. Probably also that I was just relaxing with Junyong and Tiong Chuan now and then, poking fun at poor Amanda.

I need more gears. Think my gearbox is stuck?

On other news...Massa won F1!!!! Finally...this time round the lad did great and made no mistakes, a finish from pole to podium! Bravo...time to build on the momentum, Ferrari!

Current Music: Su Da Lu - Xiao Qing Ge

Google TISP

Enjoy the newest invention by Google yet! Broadband connectivity via your sewage pipes!!! Click here to subscribe now!

How cool is that?

Quick! Subscribe now yea? And fall for it asap. ROFL.




Proudly sponsored by:

Look at this!

Talk about BIG TOILET BOWLS. There you go Who would require such a big (fat) toilet bowl?!

Somehow it reminds you...of someone? *pokes Jinyao*

A tribute to Spiderman

In view of Spidey's new movie, Spiderman 3, hitting our very shores, we have here a SNEAK PREVIEW of the latest movie starring...who else but Spiderman!!!!

*dances to the opening sequence*

Oh man...the execs at Marvel should have done a better job than their Spiderman 1 & 2 releases...they should use the opening sequence here!

It's not just cool. It's uber cool.

Imagine a Spiderman who's a biker stud who is damn handsomegeeky and wins over many girls...and TALKS to a spider on a wall to teach him how to use his spider powers. If you can't imagine...contrast the following:

vs
See the difference? You can't really tell other than the stupid MJ being there, right?

The funniest thing must be the grey 'box' which he wears. Super cool. Maybe some day there'll be a toy for this dude. Better than the old Spiderman (then again, which came first? Marvel or 1978 Toei? U decide :P )

Oh another picture of Spiderman...


Spiderman kenna searched

Eh...wrong pic...damnit the censors must have stopped working.

Ok this seriously shows that I NEED the sleep. Gonna sleep...after a 4v5 match. ROFL.

Current Music: Spiderman Theme Song - Spiderman! Za!

Nokia Bus

Have you all taken the Nokia Bus before? There's one (SBS 2779A) which is plying along the 153 bus route...Although the interior looked amazingly different from a normal SBS bus, it leaves much to be desired with the air-conditioning system, the number of seats and the bus speed. There was little or no air-con in the bus, and it was really bad 'cos it was rather hot, and it's as though one was in an oven. Haha.

But the nice parts were the non-stop MVs, nice white cushioned seats, and it's design. It's as though you're in a moving pub! (Well new idea...maybe a mobile pub/club. HAHA)

Managed to take a couple of pictures of the bus...hehe.

The seats!!!


The bus

Wan a weapon? Look no further...

This beauty is a fully functional machine gun with TWELVE rotating barrels and a live action trigger. Loads 12 bands per barrel for a whopping 144 rubber bands that shoot off as fast as you can turn the handle! Great fun for kids of all ages. MORE than just an amazing machine, this is a true work of art.

Yours for oni USD$395.

I need one of these...it's the closest to the thing which I need now. Just pass me one, armskoteman...

Met Wai Kwong today on 151...Finally see him after...4 years? Wow...and he still lives near my place...Talk about trying to bump into people who live near you, I dun even bump into my neighbour Jiahui who studies at NUS too...

Is Singapore so big? Or are we just not fated to meet up? There are like a handful of friends living near me, and I can name them...uni friends like Nian Jia and Geraldine; primary school friends (and fellow prefects!) Siok Kee, Henry and not forgetting Lewis; dudes in Army like Shaun and Ed...and many many more...and those names I've put there are just living in TPY...talk about being unable to meet each other in such a small space of TPY. Hahaa...

10am lecture, again. Yawn. It's getting a little routined. Sighs.

Current Mood: Pensive

Current Music: Elva - Bu Yuan

Bulletproof Toilet??

Though, I could not think purposeful about this Bulletproof Toilet, nonetheless it’s something I can afford to miss even! Since the tragic 911 incident, many countries have stepped up their defense against terrorism, but, Beijing’s Zhongguan Village square has really gone far into this with a bulletproof public toilet! This public toilet…yes, its public, (and its not just by any means, restricted for hi-profile people) features the instructions in English, French and now Chinese. The bulletproof toilet costs about $100,000, and there are some 8 such things in Beijing despite its umpopularity! Guess what, give this to our, uber-rich and it will be a hit (just kidding!!)

Source: http://www.bornrich.org/entry/bulletproof-toilet-for-100000/

o_O"

WHAT A WASTE OF TAXES!!!!

(Maybe we should build one in SG :D)

Moustache = Source of Knowledge??

Driving a Ferrari in LT23? Attending your lecture is like watching Indian Die Hard & Indian Bruce Willis...*rolls about in laughter*

Simply hilarious. U guys just gotta watch it to understand it.

I'd think the class is totally uber cool. Maybe if we can get teachers like that who conduct such surveys and actually PUBLISH the findings to us. *lol* Wonder what answers they usually get too :P

Bao vs Noodle

Enjoy~!

Chapter One

One day, noodle quarrel with meat bao(bun). They had a fight but bao was too clumsy and lost badly. He was
very angry and he told noodle to stay behind if he has the guts and he'll get his pals to assist him.

Meat bao went to find bread, man tou, jian bao etc to get them to reinforce him. Along the way, they saw
maggi mee. They ah bish ah bish ah bish and beat maggi mee up and maggi mee beri puzzled why he kena beaten
up.

He said, "Why u all beat me? What have I done to deserve this?"

The meat bao said, "Noodle! Dun think u perm your hair then cannot recognise u!"

Chapter Two

Maggi mee, who was beaten up for no reason, was very angry. So he went to find bee hoon, udon, fried
noodles etc to seek revenge.

But on the way, they met small bao. Maggi mee looked at small bao for a while then told his brothers,
“Bra-der! Whack him!" Maggi mee whack small bao harder & harder.

After the noodles family has left, they asked Maggi Mee why he hated small bao so much and beat him up so
badly.

Maggi mee said. "At first wanna teach him a small lesson only, but then see him act cute, made me so
angry."

Chapter Three

The more small bao thought of it, the more buay song he was. So, he found the bao family to whack Maggi
mee.

Then they found ying shi juan (noodles covered with bun). They brought him back as hostage and were about
to put him on the stove to force him to talk when the bao head said, "That's not noodles! That's our undercover!"

Chapter Four

The family of bao and noodles are now enemies and they have gang fights whenever they see each other. One
day, the noodles family was having a walk when they saw char siew bao alone.

Seeing the good chance, all of them attacked him. The noodles family shouted, "Beat him hard hard! Don't
give chance just because he's vomiting blood!"

Chapter Five

Poor char siew bao, with his injuries, went to the bao headquarters to look for help. All the bao family was
activated and together with red bean bao, green bean bun etc. they went to seek revenge. All the passerbys
siam them as they look like they will kill.

They saw french fries jalan jalan along, shopping. The bao family attacked him. The bao head shouted, "Noodle
people still wear gold go shopping! Whack him!!!"

Chapter Six

Finally, the bao family manage to kidnap noodle, the one who started up the whole show, and brought him
back to the bao headquarter.

All the baos took turns to whack him. At the end, the chief of baos - dua bah bao took a final roll over
noodle before they dump him.

When the poor noodle finally went home, none of the family member could recognise him bcoz he is totally
disfigured - flatten. In order not to let the family bear the bad name, he appears as a new member named
Mee pok.

Knitting Machine!

This is another cool invention...all with Lego ;)

Rarely do we come accross something so interesting yet odd, take a look at this fully functional knitting machine made entirely out of Lego pieces.

From: TechEBlog

Current Music: Lin Jun Jie - Cao Cao

Mini Harpsichord?

Now, for the next picture from the wonderful of Lego...we have...

*drum roll*

Tad-dah!

This Harpsichord was constructed entirely from Lego parts (over 100,000!), including keyboard, jacks, jack rack, jack rail, plectra, soundboard, bridge, hitch pins, tuning pins, wrestplank, nut, case, legs, lid, lid stick, and music stand. It has a range of 61 notes and weighs 150 lb.

Source: TechEBlog

I'm impressed...way too impressed. The fact that it looks so much like the real thing really makes me wonder, how did people come up with such fascinating ideas to convert simple plastic playthings (for kids in fact!) into wonderful pieces of art?

Impressive.

Too awesome...gotta post!

The New Sony Ericsson cell phone - “Black Diamond” is a concept cell phone by industrial designer Jaren Goh. With a sleek and smooth design, it fits into your hand perfectly. Equipped with the high-end 4 mega pixel camera, its a great combination for an AIO definition. The clear OLED display has the best view for tired eyes and its shiny cover can easily change to a mirror.



Source: The Gadget Blog

This is totally awesome and cool! Geez...can't wait to lay my hands on one of these! And...it's stated that "...The OLED technology makes for vivid illumination under the polycarbonate skin and gives it a borderless screen effect."

The curves sure makes this gadget stand out. Not to mention it's sleekness and technology in place. (I really can't stop WOW-ing at it)

Is it cool or what?!

Current Music: BOA - Shine We Are!